Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-01-07

The $4,000 object glass for the great
telescope at the Lick observatory is Oh its
way to California, and we shall soon see
what we shall see.
Illinois may well claim to be a nursery
of patriots. Lincoln, Grant, Douglas and
Logan were citizens OF Illinois when the
war broke out
Even Mr.. George William Curtis, lead
ing mugwump as he is, has come to the
conclusion that President Cleveland 5
style of civil service reform is lin accord
with no principle and tiagrantly inconsst-
ent."
The army ana NdUy journal men
tons the fact that two German officers
who have been travelling iHcogHitO in
this country, were suddenly called home
by government order few days ago
and that they left for home in the belief
that a great European war was ahead
The restitution in the drought-stricken
section of Texas, if reports are to be cred
tied, is appalling. 1t is stated that 219OO
people are in serious want of food and
clothing Their condition appeals strong
ly to the sympathes of the charitable ;
and it is hoped that some organized effort
will be made for their relief.
While the treasury vaults are crowded
to burs ting with silver dollars that the
country doesn't want, much inconveni-
ence is experienced in many parts of the
country from the scarcity of small coins
If we must have compulsory silver coin
age, let it be compulsory dimes and quar-
tiers, for time.
Several Rochester and Buffalo dalles
begin the New Year by adding from one
to two dollars to their subscription price
And good many other papers that fol-
lowed the New York dalies in reducing
prices, find, as do the New York papers
themselves, that the cutting in prices has
been too sharp for the good of either pub
fishers or readers.
State Dairy Commissioner Van Nalken.
berg of New York is quoted as saying that
in his opinion the oleomargarine trade has
received a blow from which it will not
soon recover. He estimates that only a
little over 100000 pounds of the article
are now used per month in the United
States or about One-tenth of the amount
formerly consumed.
A Washington letter States that the
debt of the Pacific railroads to the govern
ment now amounts to $l5O, zoo, 900, which
is thirty millions more than it has com
monty been estimated. 1t is quite plain
that the roads do not intend to pay this
4.
secure settlement with them by dis
counting fifty per cent, it would probably
be wise to do 50.
As the national debt of Russia has
doubled in the last fourteen years, and
as she cannot enter on a great war with
out negotiating Il new loan, it may be
that the fact that the members Of the
great Rothschild syndicate have decided
not TO support any additional loans foi
Russia may be the weight that will turn
the scales for peace in Europe.
We are glad to note the ruling of Jud ge
Daniels of New York, in the case of the
New York brokers who formed pool ant
engineered "A corner in lard. Judge Dan
iels calls this gambling, aud declares tha
it is punishable as Il crime. The soonel
all pooling" of this sort is recognized
and punished as criminal ofiense, tn,
better it will be for the country.
The Boston Ucrdld thinks that if New
York should elect Mr.. Iiiscock Unite,
States senator she would come nearer I,
justitying what is reasonably expected o
the Empire State than in the choice o
either Miller or Morton, but she woult
still hardly overshadow Vermont, Massa
chusetts and Ohio in the Senate" a
Ohio paper would doubtless reverse tn
order of the last two States named.
The English working classes find then
selves crowded by Italians, who an
swarming into that country and are viii
ing to work for wages on which an Eng
lishman would starve. The case seems t
be much like that of the Chinese on on
Pacific slope, and, as on this side the NJ
tive worliingmen demand that somethin
be done about it, They ask that tax
five dollars year he laid on each impOr
ed laborer and it is not unlikely thu
something of the sort may be done
If the famous prof Grimmer," VIII
half dozen years ago, prophesied for II
year, earthquakes, pestilence, deaths
many great men, and great political di
turbances, had only postponed his pr
dicton to 1886, he might have made h
reputation as II prophet, for the last yej
was marked in an unusual degree by sue
events. The year that Grimmer guesst
at happened to be an unusually peacef
one, and he went down as did Niggil
after him.
1t is asserted thata Chinese photograp
er has discovered the art of photograp
ing in natural colors. This has been Il
dream of photographers from Daguerrt